Loading apparatus



Feb. 16 1925;

J. E. MANNING LOADING APPARATUS Original Filed Nov. 28. 1923 3-Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR,

A TTORNE Y.

Feb. 16 1926 1,573,728

J. E. MANNING LOADING APPARATUS Original Filed Nov. 28. 1923 3Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

A 'I'TOANE Y.

Feb. 16 1926.

J. E. MANNING LOADING APPARATUS s sheets-sheet s f Original Filed Nciv.28. 1923 'INVENTORQ JZT/Vanzn'ny i ATTORNEY.

' a of West Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Loading Appae ratus, of which the following is a specificaconstruction a'ndin the combination-and aroils for use, as will hehereinafter more .fully set forth f The"novek'featuresi ofmy'finvfention will 35. f i In order that. my invention may be'the"jbette'i' understood,1 'willfn'ow proceed to de- A tailed view inelevationillustratinga por- F eb.-16, 19.26;

frelatively movable conveyors discharging gathering means to cause theproper delivc y p I material within-a pileto be loaded.

important advantages are a f ained and the 30..

. scribe the same with reference to the accof pan'yingIdrawings,whereinecomprised-Al e conveyor- G having been: 5 provid moved sothat-itsllongitudinal "1'31? th jei .,cqn vey ,r ,Qa;

,jijf- UNlT-Eo STATES PA E T OFFICE;

Joan E. Iamzme, or nanny, was r vmenua'.

' marine uranhrus; I Ta fim cm filed November 23, 152:, Serial it. mam.Renewed m 1a, 1925. T5" .whom it may 05mm; v i Be it known that 1, JOHNMANNINQ, a

citi'z n of the United States, residing at Beck 'ey, in the county ofRaleigh and State taken substantially .on the line 3-3 of Figure 2; y

' Fi tiona view taken su stantially on the line 4-4 of Figure 2; Figure5 is a detailed sectional viewtaken substantially 'on the line 55 ofFigure 4;

Figure 6 is a fra view of one of the get ering heads as herein comprisedand the mechan sm concomitant thereto; F igure 7 is a sectional viewtaken substantially on'the line 7- -7 of Figure 6;

.Fi re 8 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 8-8 ofFigure 6; Figure- 9 is a fragmentary view partly in elevation and partlyin section ill-ustratingfa .comprisedrand the mechanism concomitant thegathering heads;

tion, reference being had to ing drawings. I

This inventionrelates to certain improvements in loading apparatus andhas relation more particularly to a device of this general characterespeciall designed and adapted for; use in loading 'ars in the mines andit is an object of the invention to provide a novel and improved deviceof this general character embodying a main conveyor adapted todischargvwithin the car or the like to be loaded together with a'pair ofthe accomp nyuponthe main conveyor and provided..with

view of the. entering low carried buflin'g head oftheme' anism; IvFigure 11 isan enlargedfragmentary sectional view taken) substantiallyon the line 11-11 of Figure 1. 1 fAs disclosed in theacc'ompanfyingdrawings, L denotes'a locomotive 0 1a conven- .tional'ltype'employedwithin a mine "and upon wich my. improved mechanism ismounted; Q I In the present embodiment "of my -inven-. tion myimprovedloading mechanism comby the -the last named conveyors of the Theinvention consists in the details of rangement oflthe several parts of m.im-

roved loading apparatus whereby certain device renderedtsimplenless exensive and otherwise more COIlVG-Illfillt an advantageher einafter bedefinitely claimed.

ciated the main'c nyeyor'C which is adapted- .or the like to be loaded.

, The-conveyor f F'gure 1 s'a vlew n top-planoillustrating v a'loadinmechanism constructed in'accord-Yried by an o crating shaft ,4 saidshaft-bean embodiment-of my invention; ingfoperative .Figure 2" is anenlarged fragmentary de- .sion mechanism T of'thed Rotatably' supportedby I ofthe hopper H is a vertically disposed shaft? tion -of the tqzaaratirr g- 111aechangism' as herein at its lower end portion with a Figure3 is a fragmentary sectional view re 4 is a fragmentary vertical 'sec-"y engaged with the ,tra'nsmisrive shaft D. and' at, each side entaryelevational prises ajhopper-H supported'directly above the locomotiveand with whi h is asso-- h mbodies'ashaft 1 having fixed to itsoppo'siteend portions the gears-2 one of which-meshing withithegear3.car-" axis is paralglearb meshing wjith a gear 2 whereb'yithefii aft'fi is'properly rotated "lhe upper po'rtoward the hopper H andterminate inward-.

Q tiQn-Of eachofthe shafts 5 has freely or pivotally engaged therewiththe vertically spaced brackets 7 providing a mounting for to the hopperH. In order that the blades 26'may readily pass over theadjacentconveyor G or more particularly the inner side ergathering conveyor G.The conveyors Gawwall. 28 thereof 1 provide the cam trackare two innumber and are adapted to be disposed on a predetermined downwardincline so. that the outer ends thereof will closely approach theshrface upon which is arranged the pile P of material to be loaded andthe conveyors G, as is clearly illustrated in Figure 1, diverge upwardlyand inwardly 1y of id hopper so that the material carried up ardly bythe conveyors G will be properly discharged within the hopper Each ofthe conveyorsG comprises an endless carrier 8 passing around suitablyPCS]:

tiohed guide minbers, the guide members at the upper portion of aconveyor constituting driving sprockets, as indicated at 9. Thesprockets 9are fixed to a shaft 10 which extends beyond the inner sideof the con-' veyor G and said extended portion has fixed thereto a gear11 meshin with the adjacent gear 11' carried b the shaft 5 whereby therequisite travel 0 the endless member 8 is effected. The bearing 7 ofeach of the conveyors G provides means whereby each of said conveyorsmay be readily swung one relative to the other in a manner to behereinafter more particularly referred to.

The lower shaft 10 of each of the gatherin conveyors G isextended:beyond the outer si e of such conveyor and has fixed thereto a gear 12meshing with the gear 14 carried by the lower end portion. of avertically disposed shaft 15. The shaft 15 is rotatably supported by thegathering conveyor G and is provided at its upper end with the gear 16meshing with the gear 17 carried by the horizontally disposed shaft 18.The shaft 18 also has fixed thereto a gear 19 meshing with the gear 20carried by the upper .-portion of .a .vertlcally disposed shaft 21arranged at the outer end ortion of the con-.

veyor G, the shaft 18 be ng' supported by a bearing 22 operativelyengaged with the shafts 15 and 21. The lower portion of the shaft 21 hasfixed thereto for rotation therewith a drum 23 in close contact with anextension 24 of the baseboard of the conveyor G and positioned inadvance of the endless member 8.

'Pivotally engaged with the outstanding brackets 25 carried by the upperportionof the drum 23 and spaced circumferentially therearound are thegathering blades 26, each ofsaid blades being normallyv maintained insubstantially a vertical position throu h the medium of the spring 27(Eig 'ure 9 V f a The drum 23 rotates in a direction wherel' by theblades,26 engage the pile'of material and gather or throw such materialupon the member 8 'so that the same may be carried 'by theieross member32 and also caused to move inwardly of the pile P until substantiallythe material therein has been entirely loaded. I

Operatively engaged, as at 33, with the opposite end portions of thecross member 32 are the rearwardly directed bars-34. The rear portion ofeach of the bars 34 is disposed through an upstanding guide36 carried bya shaft 37 rotatably supported by and extendin across the forwardportion of the ho per The end portion of the bar is provi ed with a rack38 meshing with a pinion 39 fixed to the shaft 37 whereby .uponrequisite rotation of the shaft 37 the cross member 32 may be movedforwardly-or rearwardly as desired. K

One end portion of the shaft 37 has also fixed thereto a gear 40 meshingwith a gear 41 carried by a rearwardly directed shaft 42 in drivenconnection through, the transmission mechanism T with the drive shaft D.

The transmission 'mechanism T is such,

as illustrated in Figure'3, whereby the shaft 42 may be rotated ineither. direction.

The shafts4 and 42 are each. of an extensibletype, as illustratedin,Figure 3, and also has interposed therein a universaljoi'nt 44. Thisstructure is provided in view'of the fact that the hopper H issupported; as at 45, for swinging movement in afhorizontal directionwhereby the efiiciency of the loadingi'mechanism is materiallyincreased.-

The forward portion of the hopper H also supports a transverselydisposed shaft 46 in drlven connection through the cl1ain47 with theshaft 1 hereinbefore referred to and the shaft 46- at a properpointthreon has fixed thereto a gear 48 meshing with the gear 49 carriedby a forwardly directed extensible shaft 50. This shaft .50 has itsouter or/forward end portion rotatably supported, at 51,

posed therein a universal joint 52. f =TheQ forward end or extremity ofthe shaft 50 has fixed thereto a gear-'53 meshingwi'th has inter;

the gear 54 carriedby a sha'ft155 extending lengthwise .of the member 32Each end].

rtion of the shaft 55 has a gear 56Imesh{ mg withthe gear 57 carried bya gathering member 58 mounted upon the shaft 59. Thisgathering membercomprises a hub and a plurality of radiating teeth and is rotated in a.direction to feed the material from the pile P to the adjacent conveyorG. Movable with the cross member 32 and carried thereby is a forwardlydirected plate 60 herein disclosed as triangularin form with its apexforwardly directed, said plate in practice being closely adjacent to thesurface upon which is arranged the pileP. The forward or apex portion ofthe plate 60 is provided with an upstanding entering plow 61 which isadapted to penetrate the pile -P but arranged at opposite sides of thecentral portion of the plow 61 are the rotatable gathering members 62also comprising a hub and aplurality of outwardly ex tending radialfingers. The gathering members '62 are rotated in adirection to causethe material in the pile P to be thrown against the endless conveyors 63operatively engaged with the hubs of eachpair of gathering members 58and 62 whereby further means is provided for causing the material withinthe pile P to be properly delivered upon the conveyors G. j

The forward portion of each of the conveyors G is free of a. sideboard'while the rear part of said inner portion is defined by the sideboard 64. As the member 32 advances, the inner side, portions of theconveyors G immediately to the rear of said cross member 32 aremaintained closed by the side board 65 carried by the member 32 35 andlapping the forward portions of the side boards 64 'as' is believed tobe clearly illusdrawings.

trated in F igure 1 of the accompanying From the foregoing descriptionit is thought to be obvious-that a loading apparatus constructed inaccordance with my invention is particularly well adapted for use byreason of the convenience and facility with which it may be assembledand operated, and it will also be obvious that my invention issusceptible of some change and modification without departing from theprinciples and spirit thereof and for this reason I do not wish to beunderstood as limiting myself to the precise arrangement and formationof the several parts herein shown in carrying out my inventioninpract-ice except as hereinafter claimed.

I claim g 1. A loading mechanism comprising a main conveyor, gatheringconveyors discharging thereon, means for supportingsaid gatheringconveyors for lateral movement one relative tothe other, andgathering'means positioned between the conveyors and dischargingthereon.

' 2. A loading mechanism comprising a main conveyor, gathering conveyorsdischargin thereon, means for supporting said gat ering conveyors formovement one relative to the other, means for moving said gatheringconveyors one with respect to the other, and a gathering mechanismcarried ment one relative to the other,'means for moving the gatheringconveyors one with respect to the other, andgatliering means positionedbetween the conveyors and discharging thereon, saidgathering meansengaging the material to be loaded at substantially the same level asthe gathering conveyors.

4. A mechanism of the class described comprising a main conveyor,gathering conveyors discharging thereon, means for supporting saidgathering conveyors for movement .one relative to the other, a memberoperatively engaged with said gathering conveyors and movabletherealong, such movement of the member imparting movement to thegathering conveyors one relative to the other, and means for moving saidmember.

5. A mechanism of the class described comprising a main conveyor,gathering conveyors discharging thereon, means for supporting saidgathering conveyors for movement one relative to the other, a memberoperatively engaged with said gathering conveyors and movabletherealong, such movement of the member imparting movement to thegathering conveyors one relative to the other, means for moving saidmember, andgathering means carried by the member.

6. A mechanism of the class described comprislng a gathering conveyor, adrum rotatably supported in advance of the gatherin conveyor,outstanding blades carried by t e drum and supported for verticalswinging movement, said blades operating upon rotation of the drum tothrow material upon the conveyor, said blades during rotation of thedrum passing across the adjacent end of the conveyor, a cam trackwadisposed in advance of the conveyor an with which the blades contact'for elevating saidblades as they pass across the conveyor, and means forrotating the drum.

v7. A mechanism of the class described comprising a main conveyor,gathering conveyors discharging thereon, means for supporting saidgathering conveyorsfor movement one relative to the other, a memberoperatively engaged with said gathering conveyors and movabletherealong, such movement of the member imparting move ment to thegathering conveyors. one relative to the other, means for moving saidmember, and an entering plow" carried by" the member.

8. A mechanism of the class de s c ribed other, means for moving saidmember, an 10 comprising amain conveyor, gathering co entering plowcarried by the member, and veyors discharging thereon, means for sup-ngathering means carried by the member and porting said gatheringconveyors for moveat opposite sides of the entering plow and ment onerelative to'the other, a member discharging .upon the gatheringconveyors.

operatively engage@ with said gathering con- In testimony whereof Ihereunto afiix my 15 veyors andmovable 'therealong, such movesignature.

- ment of the member imparting movement to the gathering conveyors onerelative to the JOHN MANNING.

